One Piece at a Time
by geekburger
Summary: PostHBP The story begins on the train ride back from Hogwarts. Harry stands resolute in his decision not to return for his 7th year but instead to continue his search for the Horcruxes. Will he be successful? Will The Order catch wind of his ideas and try


"Sunshine go away, I don't want to play.

Come back again some other day.

When I've got something beautiful to say"

Mineral – "Silver"

It was a quiet, uneventful ride home from Hogwarts. It seemed odd not to have their accustomed visit by Malfoy. Harry pondered this and many other things on what may prove to be his last trip on the Hogwarts Express.

There were no games. No exploding snap, no wizard chess…no one was in the mood. Ron was the only person in their compartment who even gave the snack trolley a second glance when it passed. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of the age was gone, seemingly betrayed by ex-potions master and not-quite-as-ex-as-everyone-thought-death eater Severus Snape.

Even the train's arrival at King's Cross that evening seemed muted. Students were bustled away quickly by their parents and everyone seemed to be in a hurry to reach the comfort and familiarity of their home. No one was so naïve as to consider such a place to be safe. Hogwarts was the last stronghold of the United Kingdom. The last place one could go to truly feel safe.

"Quickly boy," grumbled Vernon Dursley, "We don't have all day. Petunia has dinner waiting at home."

Harry said nothing as he followed his uncle through the busy station and to their car. He wasted no time in squeezing his trunk into the boot. Hedwig's cage went in as well, Vernon absolutely balked at the idea of having the cage (empty or not) in their car. Harry had sent her ahead to Privet Drive earlier that morning before leaving Hogwarts.

Halfway through the ride home Harry finally broke the silence.

"This is my last summer, you know. I won't need to come back again. When I turn 17 I'll be considered an adult in the Wiz--in my world."

"That's a bloody relief" said Vernon, who sounded very relieved indeed.

"I'm going to be quite busy this summer and would appreciate it if you would allow me to keep to myself. Sort of 'I stay out of your way, you stay out of mine.' Then I can get things planned out and leave as soon as possible. Maybe even before my birthday. I've been invited to a wedding on the 21st of June."

Vernon he stared straight ahead, watching the road. After a few moments he nodded stiffly in agreement to Harry's request.

The rest of the trip was made in complete silence but they somehow arrived back in Little Whinging in what seemed like record time. Harry was left on his own to take his trunk up to his room. He dumped it at the foot of his bed and lay down, letting out a long sigh.

_I'm not sure what to think about that year._ Harry thought. _Other than those inferi in the cave nothing tried to kill me, but Dumbledore is gone. That was worse somehow._

He lay there for what seemed like hours but what was in actuality only a few minutes before hearing his aunt call him down for dinner. He lay still for another moment or two before letting out another large sigh and lumbering to his feet and descending the stairs lethargically.

When he arrived downstairs he found that his aunt and uncle had already started without him. He wasn't very surprised. Dudley was apparently having dinner at one of his friend's home. At least, that's what he had told his parents.

"Vernon said you're leaving for good this time."

Harry looked up at his aunt startled. He hadn't expected anyone to speak to him. He nodded and continued to eat. Harry's imminent departure must have put his aunt in as good of a mood as it did his uncle because Harry's plate seemed to be a little more full than usual.

"How long will you be staying?" she asked.

"Just a couple of weeks, I hope. I've been invited to a wedding on the 21st of June, which is a Saturday. I want to leave the Thursday before. Sometime that evening."

She nodded but it was Vernon who spoke up this time.

"How do you expect to get there, boy?" He said. "I suppose you want me to drive you?"

"No Uncle Vernon, that won't be necessary. I'm going to take a bus."

Vernon almost smiled. Not only was he getting rid of Harry Potter, Harry Potter was using his own means of transportation to leave. This was going to be a fantastic summer.

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_Harry,_

_I know you think you need to do this on your own but we want to help you mate. We've always been behind you and we want to keep being there for you. You might think you're protecting us but you know we'll try to help you anyway. We tackled the stone and the Chamber of Secrets. We can do this too._

_-Ron_

Harry put down the letter with a sigh, dropping it onto his bed before picking up the next one. He was already sure of what it was going to say before he even read it.

_Harry,_

_You really have to re-evaluate this situation. You can't just go off running looking for Horcruxes on your own. Ron and I can help you and you know it. You'll need to research how to recognize a horcrux and how to get rid of it and I can help you there. _

_You also need to think strategically about where Voldemort would hide the Horcruxes and no one is better than strategy than Ron. He's practically a chess master._

_We love you Harry and we want to help you. We need to help you. Please don't shut us out._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Harry dropped this letter on top of Ron's. He knew that they were right but he couldn't help wanting to protect them and keep them out of the thick of things. Finally, he relented and he wrote duplicate letters to the pair of them to tell them that he would allow them to be in on whatever he did and would let them in on what he planned when he came to the Burrow for the wedding.

He laid the letters by Hedwig's cage for her to deliver later that night and returned to his bed to start his planning.

_First things first, _he thought, _I want to go to Godric's Hollow. I'll need to find out where it is first. Professor Lupin should know. Once I've gone there and visited my parent's graves then we'll need a base of operations. I guess we could try to find a place to live there. That would be pretty cool. _

_Hermione was right about research. We have to figure out how to tell if something is a Horcrux and how to destroy it. I mean, if Dumbledore's hand was anything to go by we don't want to mess up._

Thinking of Dumbledore made his heart ache. His old headmaster was the third person in as many years to die right before Harry's eyes while he watched helplessly.

Such an anti-climatic end to the greatest wizard of the age. I'll never forget that. Standing beside Hagrid, knees weak at the broken body of my mentor.

He closed his eyes tight, squeezing fat tears out of the corners of his eyes. He knocked his glasses off and rubbed them away furiously.

No, I can't think about that now. He believed that I could defeat Voldemort. He devoted last year to bringing me those memories to prepare me. I have to be strong. I have to do this. For him. For Sirius. For Cedric. For my mom and dad. For everyone ever hurt by that mudering bastard.

He placed his glasses back on his face and picked up his quill and a piece of parchment and set about writing a letter.

_Remus, _

_Holidays are fine so far. My aunt and uncle are allowing me to keep to myself and that's a nice change. _

_I was hoping for some more information on my parents. Maybe a few stories? I don't even know where they lived, or where they're buried. I'd like to visit them sometime when this is all over._

_I hope you're doing well, but I guess Tonks will take good care of you. As long as you clean up after her accidents._

_-Harry_

Harry was satisfied with his letter. He knew he couldn't ask specifically for the information or someone would catch on and try to stop him. The Order would not be happy with his decision to go it alone.

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The beginning of Harry's summer was passing fairly quickly. He mostly kept to himself in his room but he did the odd chore around the house. He cooked a few meals, weeded the garden once or twice, and even helped Vernon install a water feature in the back garden. Other than that he rarely left his room except for his walks that he took to the park every morning.

He always left early, before dawn, so that he could easily get back in time to cook breakfast. He could often feel the presence of an Order member tailing him but he didn't mind. He enjoyed the company even if no conversation was ever exchanged. Most mornings he would catch Dudley and his gang stumbling along the sidewalk or into one of their homes but they mostly left Harry alone. He'd grown a little over the last year and though he was still small, he was nearly the same size as the smallest of the gang.

It seemed silly but sitting in a swing at the park helped him in his planning. It was like seeing things from another perspective when he wasn't confining himself to the four walls of his small bedroom. He'd already decide to take the Knight Bus and would of course be disguised. With the absence of Stan Shunpike the days of "Neville" riding the Knight Bus had come to an end. He just needed to think of a good disguise.

Maybe I could just dye my hair. Nothing too extreme, just a brown color. I could even get some kind of make-up to cover my scar. That might be enough. It'll be dark and not many people are traveling late if they can help it.

Harry was beginning to be excited. He was taking matters into his own hands. It was his last summer with the Dusleys. After this he would never have to darken the doorstep of Number 4, Privet Drive ever again unless he chose to.

Not only that, he would be coming of age in a month and a half. He would be able to use magic freely without worrying about being expelled from Hogwarts. Not that he was planning on going back anyway. The only thing keeping him from using magic at the moment was the knowledge that expulsion from Hogwarts would mean having his wand snapped.

He was shaken from his thoughts by a loud thud beside him followed quickly by muffled swearing. He was on his feet immediately, wand drawn. After a moment he realized what had happened.

"Tonks?"

"Wotcher, Harry." Replied a disembodied voice.

"What happened?" asked Harry, settling back into his swing.

"Well someone decided to visit the park very early in the morning. He's not much of a talker and I erm…started examining the back of my eyelids. You know, to amuse myself. And I sort of…decided I'd rather lay down than sit in that swing."

Harry began to laugh and then forced himself to stop. He asked to see if she was okay and they talked until he was ready to go back and start breakfast for the Dursleys. He told her his ideas, after making her promise not to tell anyone else, and she was very impressed.

"I'll request the morning of the 19th so that I can help you." She offered. "Besides, I doubt you were really looking forward to going to the chemist to pick up hair dye and make-up."

Harry laughed and thanked her, very grateful for the assistance. An auror would certainly be a good help when it comes to putting together a disguise, especially an auror who happens to be a metamorphmagus.

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June 19th came very quickly, it seemed. Harry was so busy with plots and plans that the time just flew by. Tonks took the morning duty and then at noon the two of them (three if you count her invisible replacement) went for lunch in town. After that they headed to the chemist where Tonks helped Harry pick out a shade of medium brown that he liked. She also helped him pick the make-up to match his skin tone. She allowed him to give her some money and wait outside while she made the purchases.

Vernon was so happy to be getting rid of Harry for good that he only made half-hearted complaints about Harry taking Tonks up to his room. The complaints were mostly about her hair and style of dress and were thoroughly ignored.

Tonks helped Harry apply the hair color and waited with him while it set.

"So how long are you going to stay at the Burrow before you leave for Godric's Hollow?" she asked him.

"I don't know yet. A few days, maybe a week."

"How are you going to get there?"

"Hermione can drive. She got her license first thing when she got home this summer and her parents bought her a car. She going to drive to the Burrow for the wedding and then we'll take her car up to Godric's Hollow"

Tonks nodded and the two talked for a little while longer until it was time to rinse Harry's hair. They went to the bathroom and Tonks made Harry close his eyes while she rinsed and dried his hair. Harry opened his eyes and couldn't believe what a difference it made. Tonks went ahead and applied the make-up to cover his scar and the transformation was complete. He looked different enough so that he wouldn't be immediately recognized but it was a subtle change, which made it hard to tell it was a disguise.

They continued to talk for the rest of the afternoon. That evening Tonks decided to travel with Harry for added protection. She changed her appearance to that of a girl about his age with long hair, the same color as his and the same vivid green eyes so that they would seem to be siblings. It was the finishing touch on their disguise.

Tonks charmed his trunk to be feather-light and carried it outside while Harry said goodbye to his aunt and uncle. He didn't think he would miss them, or they would miss him, but he thought it was the polite thing to do to at least say good-bye.

"Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, I'm leaving now." He said. "I don't think I'll be coming back again."

Harry's Uncle Vernon grunted. Petunia, however, seemed oddly misty-eyed and merely nodded stiffly. She seemed afraid to speak.

"Good-bye"

Harry walked outside and met Tonks. They decided to catch the bus in the alley between Magnolia Crecent and Wisteria Walk. The same alley where he and Dudley were attacked by dementors two years before. It was the only play they could think of to call the Knight Bus without letting the muggles see.

Harry took one last look around at the neighborhood he grew up in as Tonks held out her wand to summon the bus, which appeared almost instantly. A tall, menancing looking black man who seemed to be channeling Mad-Eye Moody's paranoid ushered them inside and collected one galleon and five sickles before retrieving Harry's trunk. The ride was filled with the usual bumps and bruises and a few colorful swears from the disembodied voice of their invisible companion but was otherwise uneventful. The bus was nearly empty and after just two stops they found themselves in Ottery St. Catchpole.

Tonks grabbed one side of the Trunk and Harry the other and they started off up a hill.

"The Burrow is just up there." Said Tonks. "Over that hill on the other side of the trees."

Harry nodded and they walked in companionable silence all the way to the top of the hill and through the trees. With a smile Harry looked at the only place, other than Hogwarts, that had ever felt like home to him.

Molly Weasley was bustling around the kitchen when they entered the house. She dropped what she was doing to come over and give Harry a hug before inspecting him. She hugged Tonks as well before moving back to the dinner she was cooking.

"Harry dear, take your trunk up to Ron's room. You'll have to stay with him for the time being. The house is going to be full tomorrow because of the wedding. I'm so pleased you could come. Tonks, would you like to stay for dinner? We'll be eating quite soon."

She spoke very quickly without seeming to take a breath. She was very busy indeed. Tonks gladly accepted the invitation to dinner and Harry took his trunk up to the room at the very top of the stairs.

"Hi Harry! How are you mate?" greeted Ron, standing up as Hermione rushed to hug Harry.

"I'm fine" he replied through a mouthful of bushy brown hair.

The trio talked about their summer so far for a few minutes until Mrs. Weasley called them down for dinner. They hurried down and joined Molly and Tonks at the table.

"Where's everyone else?" asked Harry

"Bill and Fleur and arriving tomorrow. Ginny will be here tomorrow too," explained Mrs. Weasley. "She's staying with them to help with last minute plans and alterations to her dress. Arthur is still working late hours at the ministry. Charlie, Fred and George will get here tomorrow as well in time for the wedding as well a the rest of the wedding party."

They finished dinner and the trio headed back upstairs and talked about their plans for a little while. Hermione and Ron were eager to hear what Harry had come up with and were not disappointed when he explained his ideas to them. Mrs. Weasley came up later and sent Hermione downstairs so they could all get to bed and have a good night's sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a very busy day while they prepared everything for the wedding.

Harry lay awake trying to clear his mind while listening to Ron's deep, steady breathing. Before long he drifted off as well.


End file.
